248 large format pages with an unusual orientation that follows a line through John Dankworth, Stan Tracey and Humphrey Littleton to Alexis Korner, Ian Carr and Graham Bond, then out into to blues, soul, Soft Machine, Gong, Henry Cow, Lol Coxill, Jon Hiseman, Jack Bruce, Caravan, Egg, Matching Mole, Henry Cow, Paul Buckmaster and many others - all the way down to Brand X on one side, and through Derek Bailey, Evan Parker, Tony Oxley, SME, AMM, LJCO and the hard core experimenters on the other, as well as taking the more expected route through Mike Westbrook, Keith Tippet, Chris Macgregor, John Surman, Harry Becket, Norma Winston and Co. Divided into easy, headed blocks, often biographical (but small print Ð there is a LOT of data here), this also covers early race issues, poetry connections, the unfairly forgotten indo-jazz fusions, the UFO club, the Musicians collective, the South Africa connection, Women in Jazz, The Amazing band, Mike Cooper and a lot else. The names listed above are just a tiny selection of a vast number dealt with in this history. There are quibbles one could make, errors and omissions and what I would consider wrong interpretations, but overall the sheer scope and structure of this book is impressive. And unique. I have never seen this story told this way. And the so called progressive and Canterbury groups get put into a serious context and seen as part of a greater story that is about music, its connections and ramifications Ð all clearly situated into a socio-historic context. Not the last word but a book immeasurably better than anything near it. Properly Indexed too. A vital resource. Comes with a free CD. Apologies but because of weight, the postage for this outside Europe is 8 pounds (actually 10 but we charge you 8)